Shoe machinery



Sept. 9, 1941. Q w E GREEN 2,255,112

SHOE MACHINERY Filed July 27, 1940 2 I FIGL. V 6 3.4 16 1 22 1 I l -f f3 2s INVENTOR. WILLIAM F. GREEN BY Q A r ATTORNEY.

Patented Sept. 9, 1941 SHOE MACHINERY William Fred Green, St. Louis, Mo., assigncr to Valley Shoe Corporation, St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Application July 27, 1940, Serial No. 347,885

4 Claims.

This invention relates generally to shoe machinery.

In the present manufacture of shoes, it is standard practice to draw the upper over and around the last and over the insole by a socalled pull-over machine and then adhesively secure the marginal or pulled-over portion of the upper upon the under face of the insole, such pulled-over upper-portion being retained in place during setting of the adhesive or cement by removable tacks, staples, or the like.

Such pulling-over operation almost invariably results, so far as I am aware, in a lapped-over or adhesively secured puckered upper margin of irregular or non-uniform width, which, prior to attachment of the outer sole, is trimmed to a relatively uniform width or so-called lap. So far as I am aware, however, in and for such trimming operation, the shoe-worker must first manually detach and lift up the so adhesively attached inner portion of the irregular lap, an operation which is difficult, tedious, and time-consuming, and which cannot be performed with any degree of uniformity.

My invention hence has for its primary object the provision of a machine uniquely constructed and operable for speedily and uniformly detaching and angularly liftingfrom the inner sole the adhesively fixed margin of the pulled-over portion of the upper for facilitating, in turn, uniform and speedy trimming of the upper prior to attachment of the outer sole.

My invention has for a further object the provision of a machine for the purpose stated which is simple in construction, which is economical in maintenance, which is speedy and convenient in operation, which is rugged and durable in structure, which may be easily adjusted to accommodate shoes of various sizes and shapes, and which is highly eificient in the performance of its stated functions.

And with the above and other objects in view, my invention resides in the novel features of form, construction, arrangement, and combination of parts presently described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing- Figure 1 is a top plan View, partly broken away and in section, of a lap-lifting machine constructed in accordance with. and embodying my present invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view, partly broken away and in section, of the machine;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating the lap-lifting tool and guide of the machine and their respective positions in relation to a shoe during a lap-lifting operation; and

Figures 4 and 5 are similar views illustrating successive steps in a lap-lifting operation.

Referring now in more detail and by reference characters to the drawing, which illustrates a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the machine includes a housing A preferably having the form of an inverted L and comprising a vertically disposed pedestal a having an outwardly flaring bell-shaped base I for securement by means of suitable lag screws or the like 2 to a bench, floor, or other suitable foundation 1, and a tubular body-portion a, which projects horizontally outwardly from the upper end of the pedestal a and is provided at its free or outer end with a relatively large aperture, as at 3.

Formed in the wall of the housing-portion a in approximate alignment with the vertical axis of the pedestal a, is a suitable aperture 4 having an outwardly projecting annular rim or shoulder 5, and secured upon the shoulder 5 by means of attachment screws orthe like 6, is a suitable prime mover, preferably in the form of an electric motor B adapted for connection through a conventional switch and electric conduit (not shown) to any suitable source of electric power, the shaft 1 of which extends concentrically through the aperture 4 into the housing A. Fixed on the inner end of the motor shaft 1, is a crank-wheel 8.

Suitably located upon the inner face of the wall of the housing-portion a, is a hanger-lug or ear 9 apertured for mounting a pivot-pin ill for depending rockable links H, in turn, at their lower end pivotally connected to a reciprocable shaft 12 projecting at one end forwardly through the end wall structure 3 and at its other end being eccentrically drivingly connected or attached by means of a crank pin l3 to and upon the crank-wheel 8.

At its outer or forward end, the reciprocable shaft I2 is provided with a pair of longitudinally spaced laterally projecting headed studs, screws, or the like M for working in spaced slots [5 of a lengthwise adjustable lap-lifting tool C having a downwardly and forwardly curved relatively blunt chisel-shaped bit I6, all as best seen in Figure 2 and for purposes presently fully appearing.

Formed preferably integrally with, and extending forwardly from, the housing-portion a in upwardly spaced relation to the bar or shaft I2, is a horizontally disposed bracket I'l formed at its outer end with a downwardly projecting flattened arm I8, secured upon one lateral face of which for adjustment, as by means of screws 19 working in slots 20, is a positioning member 2i. At its lower extremity, the member 2! is, in turn, provided with a laterally extending horizontal guide finger 22 and a downwardly projecting somewhat arcuate finger 23 twisted at 90 to the plane of the main body of the positioning member 2| for presenting a flattened face spaced forwardly from and aligned with the tool bit it, all as best seen in Figure 3 and for purposes presently more fully appearing.

In use and operation and the guide-member 21 being adjustably located for the particular shoes being worked, a lasted shoe upper S is placed against the guide member 2! with a side face against the prong 23 and with the lap l in flatwlse upwardly presented position against the finger 22, as shown in Figure 3. The motor B being energized and the crank-wheel 8 set in rotary motion, the bar or shaft IE will be reciprocatorily actuated and drive the tip of the tool bit it through an elliptical path, as indicated in dotted lines at p in Figure 2, the tool bit I6, in traversing such path 10, being projected nippingly under the edges of the lap Z, as illustrated in Figure 4, and lifting the latter upwardly, as shown in Figure 5.

The shoe S is gradually moved around against the positioning member 2!, permitting the tool bit M3 to nip up the lap Z around its entire peripheral length. Thus the lap Z is entirely and uniformly nipped up or lifted, when the shoe S may be transferred to a conventional skiving or other suitable cutting machine and the lap Z speedily, evenly, and uniformly trimmed.

It will be evident that the machine is extreme- 1y simple and effective in operation and may be adjusted by shifting the tool C and guide member 21 for accommodating laps l of any size, shape, or width. It will also be evident that the lap machine will nip up the lap Z uniformly throughout its entirely peripheral length regard less of the local variations in the texture or tenacity of the adhesive. Further, the machine is extremely rugged and durable and is exceedingly economical in cost and maintenance.

It should be understood that changes and modifications in the form, construction, arrangement, and combination of the several parts of the machine may be made and substituted for those herein shown and described without departing from the nature and principle of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A shoe machine including a tool having a chisel-shaped bit, means for positioning a shoe for engagement by the tool-bit, and means for actuating the tool through an elliptical path for detaching and lifting from the insole the adhesively attached pulled-over marginal lap of the upper, said shoe positioning means including a first finger for engaging the lap and a second finger for engaging the side of the shoe.

2. A shoe machine including adjustable means for positioning a shoe for engagement by a lapdetaching and lifting tool, said means including a first finger for engaging the lap and a second finger angularly disposed to the first finger for engaging the side of the shoe.

3. A shoe lap-lifting machine comprising a frame including an upright member, an outwardly extending housing portion having an apertured end wall, and an outwardly extending horizontal bracket formed at its outer end with a downwardly projecting flattened arm, a link swingably mounted in the housing, a shaft pivotally connected to the link and extending at an end through the end wall aperture of the housing, driving means mounted on the frame for reciprocating the shaft, a flat bitted tool mounted on the extended end of the shaft for movement in an initially forward and then upward path, and positioning means adjustably mounted on the bracket arm and provided with two fingers respectively twisted at approximately ninety degrees to each other, one being substantially horizontal and the other being substantially vertical, said positioning means being so juxtaposed to the path of the tool that when a lasted shoe upper is held against the fingers the adhesive juncture between the outer face of the insole and the marginally pulled-over lap of the upper will be positioned in the path of movement of the tool.

4. A shoemachine including adjustable means for positioning a shoe for engagement by a lapdetaching and lifting tool, said means including a bracket and positioning means adjustably mounted on the bracket and provided with two fingers respectively twisted at approximately ninety degrees to each other, one being substantially horizontal and the other being substantially vertical, said positioning means being so juxtaposed to the path of the tool that when a lasted shoe upper is held against the fingers the adhesive juncture between the outer face of the insole and the marginally pulled-over lap of the upper will be positioned in the path of movement of the tool. 7

WILLIAM FRED GREEN. 

